Priscilla Dorsey Ridgely

Charles Carnan Ridgely’s wife, Priscilla Dorsey Ridgely (1762-1814) was the mother of fourteen children, eleven of whom survived to adulthood. She embodied the ideal of Republican Motherhood in her era. This new American notion elevated the woman's traditional maternal role to that of a safeguard of the new nation, responsible for the moral instruction of its future citizens. Women were expected to be models of virtue. As a Methodist Elder, Priscilla set an example not only for her children, but also for her fellow women who were only just beginning to come into prominence in the religious world in America. No written records created by Priscilla have been found.

Individuals

Charles Carnan Ridgely

Second owner of the Hampton mansion and at one time the governor of Maryland.
Sophia Gough Ridgely Howard

According to several historical accounts, she helped influence her father, Charles Carnan Ridgely, to free many of those he enslaved.
John Carnan Ridgely

Third owner of the Hampton Estate.
Enslaved People

Hampton was the second largest plantation in Maryland. Learn about the struggle, hardships, and lives of the enslaved.
Learn about more
People of Hampton

Hundreds of people lived, worked, and were enslaved at Hampton coinciding America's development as a nation. Explore more of their stories.

Learn More

The Ridgely Family

The Ridgely Family owned and managed the Hampton Estate for almost 200 years. Explore their impact on history!
The Ridgelys of Hampton

Learn about the history of the Ridgely family at Hampton.
Slavery at Hampton

From the colonial period through 1864, the Ridgelys enslaved over 500 people. Enslaved persons, from young children to the elderly
Indentured Servants at Hampton

Indentured servants were not willing laborers and the working conditions at Northampton Furnace was grueling.
Gruesome
Working Conditions

Accounts of the working conditions of the forced labor iron works.
Forms of Control

From physical to mental abuse for the youngest ages to the oldest. Learn about the harsh truths and forms of control.
Ridgelys as Entertainers

Learn about the Ridgelys events and how in order to maintain such a lavish social lifestyle, a large labor force made up mostly of enslaved.
Horse Racing and the Ridgelys

Learn about the importance of horses and racing for the Ridgelys.
Travels of the Ridgelys

The wealth of the Ridgely family allowed for many extensive world travels.
Revealing the Lives of the Enslaved

A recent Ethnographic Study uncovered major information on the lives of those enslaved at Hampton and their descendants. Read about it here.
History & Culture
History & Culture

Hampton National Historic Site today preserves the core of what was once a vast commercial, industrial, and agricultural plantation.